Nonreturn valve



Sep. 24, 1946.

H. o.v FARMER NONRE TURN VALVE Fi1ed Aug. 11, 1942 s sheets-sheet 1 Sept. 24, 1946. H. o. FARMER NQNRETURN VALVE Filed Aug. 11, 1942 z'sheets-sneet 2;

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Patentecl Sept. 24, 1946 NONRETURN vALvE Harold Oatridge Farmer, Hounslow, England, as` Y signor to Alan Muntz & Company Limited, .Hounslow, England, a company of Great Britain Application August 11, 1.942, Serial No. 454,381

In Great Britain January 15, 1942 Claims.

invention relates to an automatic nonreturn valve,` suitable for use for example in aircompressors, and ofthe kind which in the fully open position provides a plurality of passages permitting the flow of a luid` medium Without substantial change of direction, the valve having closure elements constituted by resilient laminae so Imounted that, in the absence of pressure difference between the opposite sides thereof, they assume substantially their closed positions throughftheir own resilience, and the laminae being arranged respectively in convergent-divergent passages in such a manner that the low pressure produced by uid ilow in or near the throats of thepassages acts on the backs of the i air-compressor, withreference to the accom f5 on the line IL-,f-lL, and the right-hand half on the line IR-IR in Fig. 2.

Y Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation of the same valve, ytaken generally on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, and a `small part being takenon the line 2A-2A laminae and with the higher pressure acting on the fronts'of the laminae holds them in the fully open position. Such a valve is described in Patent Specification No.` 2,199,307.

' `Thisknown v.valve provides the necessary pressure difference between lthe opposite sides of the laminae with only slight loss of pressure head of the fluid flowing through the valve, because the divergent parts, of the passages are so designed that at the exit opening of the valve the greater part `oi. the pressure dropped in the convergent part of the passages has been recovered.

An object of the present invention `is to provide an improved valve of the `kind hereinbefore specied 'having satisfactory performance characteristics and at the same time being easy to manufacture and assemble.

Another Objectis to provide such a valve capable of being constructed largely of die-castings.

Anotherobject is to provide an improved arrangement` for securing. the fast portions of the closure laminae to the valve body which will reduce or eliminate risk of return leakage of fluid through theV valve.

VA'furtl'ier object is to provide an improved form of valve of the kind hereinbefore specied, in which the eliciency 'of operation and the durability can be raised by arranging for the inlet openings to-have equal flow areas for each closure lamina. Y

'A further object is to provide a compact valve of the kind hereinbefore specified, which enables excessive Ydisplacement 'of the free edges of the laminae to beavoided, with consequent improvement in their durability.`

Further objectsand advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given by' way of example, of embodi-l ments .thereof suitable for use ina reciprocating top and ends.

Fig.` 3'is a perspective view of a valve, rather shorter and having fewer elements than but otherwise identical to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and sectioned on the plane corresponding to 2.-2 of Fig. 1,

Figs. 4 to 8 are perspective views of elements of the valve shown in Fig. 3, Fig. 4 showing a side valve. seat membenFig; 5 a stop plate, Figs. 6 and 7 respectively two closure laminae, and Fig. 8 an intermediate valve seat member,

Fig. 9. is asectional side elevation of a modified. form ofvvalve, the left-hand half being taken on the line SLI-9L; and the right-hand half on the line SR-BR in Fig. 10,.

Fig. 10 is a sectional end elevation of this valve, taken on the line lll-I0 in Fig-9, and

Fig. 11 is van enlarged view of a part of Fig. 10.

A valve .as shown in Figs. l to 8 includes two identical side valve seat members 2 l, which may be pressure die castings, and which are of rectangularl prole as viewed from the side as in Fig. '1.' `The outer faces of these members are substantially plane, so as to fit within a housing (not shown)` and they are provided with a projecting step'22 at the outlet end,serving as a locating flange. The inner face 23 of each valve seat member is inclined at a small angle, which is 5 in this example, to the outer face, the inner face approaching the general plane of the Outer face in the direction of air ow, which is upwards in Figs. l and 2. A depression 24 constituting an air port is formed over a large part of the inner face 23 leaving a seating border 25 (Fig. 4) at the The depression 24 extends to the inlet edge of` the member 2I,'forming an inlet opening 26 (Fig. 2). Vertical ribs 21 are provided 'in the depression 24 with their edges flush with the seating 25 for supporting a closure lami n'a when the valve is closed. The upper end of the depression 24 merges 'intothe seating 25 by a curve 28 (Fig. 2) forming a convergent wall portionlof the air passage, `Near` the inlet end and at each of the front and back ends of each member 2l is formed a boss 29 through which passes a bolt hole 3U disposed perpendicularly to the outer face.

The two side Valve seat members 2l are placed face to face at. a .suita'ble distance apartrbeing tied together `:by two screw bolts 3l which pass through the holes 30. Furthermore, two end -plates 32, which may be pressure die castings, are arranged to join the ends of the side valve seat members 2l, being secured to the latter by countersunk screws 33 and dowels 34. These end plates have plane inner faces 4lying parallel to each other. The outer surfaces of the end plates are generally plane and provided with a step 35, matching the corresponding locating step 22 of the side valve seat members 2l.

Adjacent to the inner face 23 of each side valve seat member 2l is mounted on the tiel bolts 3| a closure subi-assembly including two closure laminae 36A and 36B.. disposed respectively on the two sides of a stop plate 31, which may. also be a pressure die casting.. The .border of the stop plate 3.1 at its entry end is bevelled on each side at1l38`=-atan .angle equal to the. ang-le of inclination ofthe inner.v face of the side valveseat members-e in this example 5. Thebo'rders of. the two laminae-36A andSSB-at their entry ends lie `respectively flat on these two bevels138.. The` stop plate has two holes 3.9 and .each lamina has two holes. 40 accommodating the tie bolts 3|. A clamping. stri'pM fof sheet, metal., bent into V section with A the sides sp'layed. at. an. angle of10 embraces the lower sborders ofthe two laminae, beingheld in placeby rivetsi42. passing through the strip M, the laminae and the interposed stop plate 3.1. The .strip 4 I.y stops short ofthe' ends. of= thesubassembly to enable thebosses 29 onthe sidevalve seat .member l to bear directly Aonthelamina 3BA,- which therefore normally :lies with its side and discharge .borders .resting on thelseatin'g `25 of 'the memberz In. The endsof. .the stop plate 31 beanJaglai'nst. the .inner'faces of. the end plates 32,5 while the ends .of .the laminaehave only a small working clearance frol'mtheend plates.

-An-'inte'rmediate Valve .seat .member :43, which may also be a. pressure die casting, is placed next to. theclosurer sub-assembly'. In end elevation the memberS is of lwedge section. withits narrowend-at the discharge end .of 'the valve and its plane. 'faces V.inclirlied to. each. other at an, angle of 10. This member 43 -includes two endportions c andaubridgeportion 45y (Fig. 8`) joining the .narrower ends .-of the end .portions-44.; the

broader endsv ofA the4 end portions are provided with 'bosses 46 vthrough 'which pass holes 4T .for the .tie bolts-3| The .planelfa'ces' on. each. side of the end 'and bridge Vportions 44 and. 45 :form valve seatings. from the bridge portion. with theiredges flush with' these :seatings,. .for supporting the lamin'ae inrtheir. closed` position.. The `under surface of the A series oftapered webs 48 depend bridge. portieril is curved at 49. (.Fi'g. .2) to form convergent wall portions of the air passagesl vBeyond .th-elfirst intermediate valve seat member vis placed a second closure. sub-assembly, and so on 'to any desired number, until the other side valve seat member 2t is reached, the. number of closure 'sub-assemblies exceeding by one 'the num-- ber of intermediate' valve seat members. The tie bolts 3.! serve. to clamp the several elements of the valve rigidly together.

Inoperation, when' the pressure on the inlet sidefof the valve begins-to exceed the pressure on the discharge side, the laminae are deflected away from the seatings towards the stop plates 31, so that a narrow gap is formed between the discharge border of each lamina and the adjacent seating. The reduced pressure occurring at these gaps owing to the high velocity of air flow through them is transmitted across -the discharge edges of the lamina'e to the spaces between them and the stop plates. The resulting pressure difference on the two sides of each of the laminae causes them to be strained back close against the stop. plates. The throat now formed in the air pas-sages in the neighbourhood of the discharge edges of the Iaminae maintains a reduced pressure here, so that. the laminae are subjected to a large enough pressure difference to keep them in the fully' open position, indicated for one lamina.

by the dotted une 36C in Fig. 2.

Eachvalve closure lamina is at or substantially at in its unstressed condition; the movable borders of. the lamina seat ena plane :seat- Y which therefore can beeasily finished tothe req-` uisite Vdegree of accuracy..

When the valve is: open,. the laminae bend to substantial-ly the .shape of 'a uniformly lloaded cantilever, and the sides ofthe 'stop-plates'. may

be correspondingly shaped so that Athe laminaeV tend to bear on the stopplate over their entire area. Thus, referring toFig; 5, the upper limit of the bevelled border ofv the visible face of the stop plate is denoted by the chain-dotted line, at which the planeportion of: theface merges-.into the portion' 'curved to .the shape naturally assumed by the lamina when the valve is Afully open; The laminas 'are 'consequently protected from overstressing. at their roots and excessive impact stresses `at'theirdischarge edges,'which might occur if the. stopplate were of uniform thickness;

Furthermore, the stop plate is.'preferalbly not provided withairerelief passages in `itsrfaces, since the resistance to movementof-'air between the backtof `a lamina and thel adiacent 'stop plate is found to introduce a "desirable 'damping of the valve movement. The stop plates are preferably'provi'dedwitha step 50 onv each side justdeep enough to accommodate the discharge .borderfof the .lamina when the valve is Vfully open, so that the surface of the lamina andtheisurface fof the stopiplata. above the lamina, form `a `substantially continuous curve.

The .laminae may be punched out. 'of rolled steel for example :spring steel or 18-*8'chromiumnickel steel: may be used,V andv the direction `of rolling of the strip is preferably at right Sangles to the lines of bending. The -laminae'rnay be punched to Va size larger vthan theiini'shed size'. and 'finally reduced. to rnnished size by grinding away 'a smallv portion of one orimore `ofY theedge's so as to eliminate material. Vthat hadi been stressed during the cutting-'outV operation.

An important'feature of: this'ilmproved Vvalve is `that the entry: 'can bed-ivided int-o sections 'of 'equal owarea'sfor veach lamina. The 'area26 through which air enters to each ofthe two outermost laminae is a rectangle formed by thewall of the side valve seat member 2|, the part of the clamping strip 4| opposite thereto, and the bolt bosses 29 at the ends of the side valve seat Vmember.V The area 5l (Fig. l2) through which air enters to any pair of the other laminae is a rectangle formed by the parts of two clamping strips 4| and the bolt bosses 4S on an intermediate valve seat member. The area of the last-mentioned rectangle is made twice that of the rst-mentioned rectangle, and the latter area is substan# tially larger than the throat area of an indi` end of the valve, the depth of these ports at this end is sufficient to provide the necessary inlet area, while nearer the outlet `end of the valve the width of the ports is substantially increased, as compared with the width between the bolt *bosses, with the result that the desired flo-w area is obtained through the throat of the Avalve at the outlet borders of the laminae without excessive displacement of these borders from their seats when the valve is fully open. l

The valve described by way oi example may have laminae of steel 0.007 in. thick, 35 mm. deep and 75 mm. long, the stop plates `and the intermediate valve seat members being pitched at 5 mm. centre to centre, and the throats being 2.4

`several valve seat portions are of unitary construction.

A valve body casing 60, which may be die cast,

or built up inthe manner of the casing parts 2l and 32 of the valve shown inFigs. 1-8, is provided with an external locating flange 6I and an internal iiange 62 at its entry end. The unitary valve seat structure consists of two side walls 63, any desired number of intermediate valve seat 'bars 6l! and transverse ribs comprising two end valve seat ribs 65 and any desired number of intermediate ribs 66. These ribs are provided with 10 V-shaped notches which are aligned as seen in end View. Each row of notches accommodate a closure element of flat sheet steel Vbent into hairpin section to form a pair of closure laminae 61; The fold 68 (Fig. 11)V of each closure element is bent around a relatively shortradius and rests in a correspondingly curved arc 69 at the bottom of each V notch in the transverse ribs. Between the closure laminae of each pair is a stop plate lil the` upper part of which is provided with guide ears 'H slidable in` keyways 'l2 in the end walls of the body casing 60. The section of each stop plate generally conforms to the natural shape of the closure laminae when the valve is open, as described with reference to the stop plates 3l of the example shown in Figs. 1-8, but the border portion of each stop plate from its entry edge to the level 13 in'Fig. 1'1 is shaped as a 10 wedge truncated at 14 in such a manner that, when Vthe stop plate is forced into the notches in thetransverse ribs, it will nip the closurelaminae tightly against the sides of these notches before alicanter the .entry endld'of the stop plate reaches the fold 68.V The Istop. plates are iheld wedged into the notches :by bars 15 resting atone edge lon the ears,

The sides of the V notches and the lower bor. ders of thestp Vplates can be accurat-ely ma' chined, and since in consequence the parts of the laminae near the fold are securely nipped be# tween parallel surfaces, one of `which is a planeA continuation of the valve seat, the laminae will seat uniformly on the seatings when the valve is closed. Experience has shown that it is ex-` tremely difcult to shape such folded closure elements accurately to a desired Vsection in the neighbourhood of the fold, and this improved construction is particularly advantageous in en-` suring that, even if a closure element isv not of exactly ythe desired section in the neighbourhood. of the fold in its free state, nevertheless when` itis assembled inthe valve it is'so deformed that itis constrained to bed in a fluid-tight manner on the valve seatings.

I claim: 1

1. A non-return valve including aplurality of separate seating members disposed side by side,

the opposed seating faces of any adjacent pair of said seating members :bein-g plane andreced-V ing from each other in theV direction `of fluidv flow, and said seating members .having in said` opposed faces inlet ports extending to the entry4 edge of said faces, two bolt bosses on each of said seating members disposed respectively at the ends thereof adjacentto the entry endA of the valve, the faces of said bosses forming continualtions ofsaid plane seating faces, resilient closure laminae capable of lying flush on each of said plane seating faces respectively and shaped to overlap said ports and to extend over said bosses;

'separate stop plates disposed respectively be-r tween each two of said closure laminae that are associated with each adjacent pair of said seating members, said stop plates having adjacent to their entry edges a wedge-shaped cross section, the plane faces of such wedge portion receding. from each other in thedirection of fluid flow at the same inclination as said opposed seating faces, and two tie bolts passing respectively through the aligned series of said bolt bosses at each end of the valve and through bolt holes in said stop plates and said laminae, said bolts clamping `said seating members, the entry borders of said laminae and said stop plates rigidly together, and said ports being wider (as measured in the planes of said seating faces respectively and normally to said direction of fluid flow) adjacent to the free borders of said laminae than between said bosses.

2. A non-return valve including a plurality of separate seating members disposed side by side, the opposed seating faces of any adjacent pair of said seating members being plane and receding from each other in the direction of uid ow,

` said seating members having in said opposed rection Vof.;fluid flow',A is Va. wedge `narrowing in..A

said-direction, said member including two end portions,y a bridge portion joining said end por'- tions at their narrowerends and aplurality of webs. extending. from said bridge portion, the edges of .said webs,V lying in thexplanes` of-seatingf'aces von :sa-id. end andrbridge port-ions,` vtwo resilient: closureV laminae which are substantially iiat..in-their unstrainedcondition and which are` 'disposed respectively Ion the two sides of saidfvalve seat member, tworseparate stop-'plates for supporting said laminae; in the-open position, and disposed respectively. adjacent Ito said laminae, with one border engaging the .border ot the :associated lamina at'the entry end and the opposite border spaced. from said valve seat.

member, means: clamping said laminae between the:broader ends Vof said end portions of the valve seat member and vsaid stop plates', and. separatemeans `clampingJL-lfxe borders of said. laminae at the-.entryfend ofthe valve. ina uid tig-ht vmanner to said stop plates between. said end portions ofA the valve-seat member.

4.. A non-return valve including. two separate sidefvalve seat members, any desired number of separate intermediate valve seat members disposed between .said side valve seat members, each adjacent two ofV said members. having; opposed plane. seating; faces4` dii/erging in the direction of. .fluid ow, and lsaid members having inv each of said. seating. aCesports extending ito the edges at. the entry end. of. the valve-,a plurality vofV sepa-r rate. stopV plates. disposedl respectively between. saidqva-lveseat members, eachV of said stopplates havingits. .borderfinearf the ventry edge bevelledv to: a-wedge. section, thefangle@ of which equals the angle off divergence` of said opposed seating facesgayplurality of resilient laminae ldisposed respectively between each adjacentv seat member and stop'plate and overlapping said ports, and locating. members' spanning between said side valve 'seat members at: both the: front, and back off-the valve near its:v entry end andrengaged. with eacl'rof said valve seat. members, stop plates and laminae so. as to maintainthem positively locked Y together at' the entry yendl of the va1ve the width of.said,.ports (as measured in. theplanes of said seating faces respectively vand normallyto-said direction of fluid. flow)l vbeing-a minimum between said: locating AmembersI and substantially larger than said minimumadjacent. to theA outlet, end of the value., i

5,.A non-.return valvev includingtwo separate side valve seat members., any-'desired number of separate .intermediate valve ,seat 4members disposed between; said Iside. valve seatmem-bers, each adjacent. two of. saidv members having opposed plane. seatingfaces diverging in the direction of fluid flow, and said members having in each `of said seating faces; ports extending vto the edges atthe entry end of the Valve, a -plurality'of separatev stopplates disposed rrespectively'between said .valverseat members, each. of said. stop plates having its; border near the.` entry edge bevelled a. plurality` of resilient laminae disposed .respectivelybetween eachl adjacent seat'member and stop plate and overlapping said ports, two bolts tyingtogether said side. valve seat members and disposed near the entry ends thereof, said bolts passing through bolt. holes in said intermediate valve seat members, stop plates and laminae, andthe width of said ports (as measured in. the planes rof said seating faces. respectively and normally tok said direction `of fluid flow) being a minimum between said bolts. and substantially larger than said yminimum adjacent to the outlet end of the valve.

6.. A non-return valve including a valve body which Vcomprises two side valve seat members spaced 'apart face to face and 'two end plates bridging between the ends of said members and secured thereto by screws to. form a rigid tube of substantially rectangular section, any number of separate intermediate valve seat members disposed between said side valve seat. members, the' opposing faces of each adjacent two of said seat Vmembers being plane and divergingl from each other'in the direction of fluid flow and 'having inlet ports extending to the edges at the' entry end of the valve, a plurality of `separate stop Vplates disposed respectively between each' adjacent two off said seat members and bevelled at the entry border to a wedge lsection conforming to the divergence' vof said opposing seating faces, said intermediate members and said stop l plates extending from one of said end plates to the respective seating faces; of` said'nvalve seat.

members4 and the bevelled-faces of. saidstop plates.

7'. In `a non-return valve of' the kind speciiied, seating members having two opposed; plane: seating faces. diverging from each other in they direction of fluid flow; said faces being inter-` rupted f by ports extending from their edges nearest the inlet end of the valve., a resilient closure element comprising Va uni-tary sheet folded into hairpin section. and disposed with its blades positioned to line on said 'faces and cover said ports therein, a stopplate disposed between said blades .and having its border nearest the inlet end of. the valve of wedge section to correspond. to-the angle of divergence of said seating faces., and means. maintaining said blades nipped between said .seating faces. and said wedge-section portion. of said stop plate, said wedge section portion being so truncated that the stopplate does not bottom in the fold of the closure element.

8-.. In 'a non-return valve of the kind specified,V seating members having two opposed plane seating faces diverging'from each other in the direction of fluid flow, said vfaces bei-ng. interrupted by ports extending from their edges nearest the in'- lety end ofthe valve, a stop :plate disposed betweensaidseating faces and4 having itsv border nearest the inlet end of the valve bevelled to conform to the angle` of divergence of said seating-faces, `two resilient laminae ydisposed between said stop plate. and said seating members for sealing said ports therein, means maintaining the ends of said laminae adjacent to-their entry edges rigidly nipped between said seating members and said stop plate, and a V-section strip secured -to and embracing the borders of said laminae intermediate their said ends.

9. In a non-return Valve of the kind specified, seating members having two opposed plane seating faces diverging from each other in the direction of fluid flow, said faces being interrupted by ports extending from their edges nearest the inlet end of the valve, a stop plate disposed between said seating faces and having its border nearest the inlet end of the Valve bevelled to conform to the angle of divergence of said seating faces, two resilient laminae disposed between said stop plate and said seating members for sealing said ports therein, means maintaining the ends of said laminae adjacent to their entry edges rigidly nipped between said seating members and said stop plate, a plurality of rivets each passing through the borders of said stop plate and of said laminae intermediate the said ends of the latter, and sheet metal reinforcement strip interposed between the heads of said rivets and said laminae.

10. A non-return valve including a valve seat member having a plane seating face of substantially rectangular outline, which lies substantially parallel to the general direction of fluid flow through the valve and which surrounds a port except at the inlet end of the valve where said port extends to the edge of said seat member, a pair of bolt holes passing through said seat member transversely to said face and respectively on the two sides of said port at the inlet end of said valve, a resilient closure lamina of substantially rectangular outline co-operating with said Valve seat member and overlapping the border of said port, the width of said lamina being substantially equal to the width of said seat member, a stop member disposed on the side of said lamina remote from said valve seat member and having at the entry end of the Valve a plane border parallel to said seating face, two ties passing transversely to the direction of ow through said bolts holes respectively, and being positively engaged with said lamina and said stop member, said ties serving both to clamp a border of said lamina between said border of the stop member and said faces of the seat member and also to key said seat member, said lamina and said stop member togethen and two end plates parallel to each other and co-operating with said seat member and said stop member to form a passage of uniform width, said plates serving to prevent substantial leakage of fluid round the longitudinal edges of said lamina when the valve is open. Y

H. O. FARMER. 

